by Matt Hughes
Growing up in Germany, Chris McNaughton ’07 dreamed of playing professional soccer. But when his height reached 6-feet-11-inches, McNaughton says basketball chose him.
The chance to prepare for a pro career and get a top-tier education brought McNaughton to Bucknell, where he started at center on the two teams notching the Bison men’s only victories to date in the NCAA Tournament (the 2005 appearance against Kansas, where he hit a game-winning hookshot, is still the highlight of his career, he says).
After graduating, McNaughton enjoyed a nine-season pro career that included five seasons in the Basketball Bundesliga and an appearance on Germany’s national team. While the competition he faced in Europe was a cut above the NCAA, McNaughton says his Bucknell experience set him up for success.
“We played smart basketball,” he says. “That was always one of my advantages; I was never the quickest, but I understood the game very well.”
Bucknell also helped him launch the next phase of his career; a connection with alumnus Steve Kornreich ’10 helped him transition to an account executive position in Fort Myers, Fla. This summer, the electrical engineering major moved to a new role for software company Workday in Germany.
Growing up in Germany, Chris McNaughton ’07 dreamed of playing professional soccer. But when his height reached 6-feet-11-inches, McNaughton says basketball chose him.
The chance to prepare for a pro career and get a top-tier education brought McNaughton to Bucknell, where he started at center on the two teams notching the Bison men’s only victories to date in the NCAA Tournament (the 2005 appearance against Kansas, where he hit a game-winning hookshot, is still the highlight of his career, he says).
After graduating, McNaughton enjoyed a nine-season pro career that included five seasons in the Basketball Bundesliga and an appearance on Germany’s national team. While the competition he faced in Europe was a cut above the NCAA, McNaughton says his Bucknell experience set him up for success.
“We played smart basketball,” he says. “That was always one of my advantages; I was never the quickest, but I understood the game very well.”
Bucknell also helped him launch the next phase of his career; a connection with alumnus Steve Kornreich ’10 helped him transition to an account executive position in Fort Myers, Fla. This summer, the electrical engineering major moved to a new role for software company Workday in Germany.